The National Bank of Greece, Italgas, and the General State Archives have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at researching, digitizing, and promoting archival documents related to the history of natural gas and the energy industry in Greece. This collaboration seeks to enhance educational and cultural initiatives by making these historical records accessible online.
The project will focus on the Historical Archive of the National Bank of Greece, which houses significant documents on gas usage in the country. These materials will be digitized and included in an online platform. The initiative aims to raise awareness among younger generations about energy infrastructure’s importance and the historical value of industrial heritage.
The agreement was signed at the Italian Archaeological School of Athens by Paolo Gallo, CEO of Italgas; Ernestos Panayiotou, General Manager Transformation, Strategy and International Activities of the National Bank of Greece; and Amalia Pappa, Deputy General Director of the General State Archives. The signing was attended by Italy’s Minister of Culture Alessandro Giuli and Italian Ambassador to Greece Paolo Cuculi.
Ernestos Panayiotou stated that “the collaboration…demonstrates our steadfast commitment to protecting historical memory” and highlighted how utilizing modern technologies will make historical documents more accessible. Paolo Cuculi emphasized Italgas’ dedication to digitalization and preserving historical heritage in Greece. He noted that enhancing shared history is a distinctive trait between Italy and Greece.
Paolo Gallo described the Memorandum as more than just a collaboration, emphasizing that it uses expertise from Italgas’ digital transformation laboratory to make historical heritage easily accessible. Amalia Pappa stressed that this partnership enhances cooperation between institutions while highlighting Italy’s and Greece’s industrial heritage.
The initiative aims not only to preserve but also to provide broad access to these archives for researchers and the general public alike.
